The dictionary describes an Indomitable Spirit as someone who cannot be subdued or overcome, as persons, will, or courage; unconquerable.

There are countless stories about individuals and groups of people from all over the world who have survived and overcome the most horrific circumstances in their lives. And then there are stories of those who let life experiences destroy them and they gave up by either turning to addictions and/or suicide. What is it about the mind that it can be so delicate that it can snap in an instant causing a person to succumb to the most debilitating mental and physical illnesses, yet at the same time, it can be so powerful as to help a person overcome the greatest of obstacles? We know many people who have gone through the most horrendous physical and/or mental and emotional experiences. Some let those experiences destroy them and they become barely functioning individuals. Yet others have gone through the same or similar experiences and have become stronger and better people because of those experiences.

There are many people whose autobiographies I have read and whose stories have made a huge impact on my life. Immaculee Iligibiza wrote several books, which included “Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust,” and if you haven’t read it, I would highly recommend it. Immaculee was a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The Hutu’s declared war on the Tutsi’s and nearly one million Tutsis…men, women, and children, were literally slaughtered by the Hutu marauders. Immaculee escaped to a nearby Hutu pastor’s home where she and seven other women hid quietly in a three foot by four foot bathroom for three months. They couldn’t make a sound because the pastor’s own family didn’t know they were in there as he had covered the door with a dresser. Hutu’s were always present searching for them. The pastor tried to sneak food in for the women when he could. When Immaculee went into hiding, she weighed 115 pounds. When she came out, she weighed 65 pounds. When the French came to establish refugee camps, the women walked down roads seeing dead bodies piled high on each side. Immaculee soon learned that with the exception of one brother, all her family and friends lost their lives all in the name of hate.

But Immaculee had a strong faith and her will to live was strong. With books from the pastor, she taught herself to speak English. When released, she committed her life to teaching peace, hope, and forgiveness, even towards those who slaughtered her family and friends. She went on to work at the United Nations, moved to the United states, received five honorary doctoral degrees, has written numerous books, became a U.S. Citizen, got married and had children, and was the recipient of the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Reconciliation and Peace award.

Another recent inspiring story is about Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani, Sunni Muslim girl. Malala’s father ran a chain of schools and believed that all children, both boys and girls, should be highly educated. The schools were doing really well until the Taliban militants starting taking over the Swat Valley where Malala and her family lived. These extremists banned television, music, girl’s education, and more. Malala wrote a blog under a different name for the BBC about her life and education, and she stood up to the Taliban. In October of 2012, a Taliban gunman found her on the bus after taking an exam and shot her in the face. Her story became well known and she gained support from people all over the world.

On her 16th birthday, she spoke at the UN to call for worldwide access to education. In her speech, she said, “The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born ... I am not against anyone, neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I'm here to speak up for the right of education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all terrorists and extremists.” She wrote a book titled “I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban” and talked about her life as a Muslim and her passion for education. The book also gave great insights into the goodness of Islam. In 2014, at the age of 17, Malala was a co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize.

Another story recently told in the movie “Unbroken” was about the life of USA Olympian and athlete Louis “Louie” Zamperini, who survived in a raft with two other men in the ocean for 47 days after his bomber plane was downed in WWII (one died during the ordeal). Captured by the Japanese Navy, they were sent to prisoner of war camps where they were severely beaten. When the war was over and after his release, Louis got married and became an inspirational speaker. He, too, was able to forgive those who persecuted him. A few days before his 81st birthday in 1998, he ran a leg in the Olympic Torch relay for the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.

These are just a few of the many examples of people who triumphed over adversity, who went on to have successful public careers, and are using their experiences to make a difference in the world. There are many others: Survivors of the Holocaust, 9/11, POW’s, Oprah Winfrey, Helen Keller, Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Victor Frankl, and countless more. I would highly recommend reading more on these and others.

But not all people who are experiencing or have overcome adversity are well-known. Many of them are people like you and me, living everyday lives. Our hardships range from the minor to the major, but regardless of what the experience, they are just as much an obstacle to overcome. Yet we all have that Indomitable Spirit within us!

Maybe you had an illness/disease and you did whatever you had to in order to survive; you have an Indomitable Spirit! Maybe you experienced an accident, abuse, financial issues, emotional issues, or whatever the issue, but you survived and made it through; you have an Indomitable Spirit! Maybe you are being bullied, but you keep on going in spite of it; you have an Indomitable Spirit! Maybe you are struggling just to get up in the morning to get through another day or another minute, but you are surviving; you have an Indomitable Spirit!

Granted, there are those who do let life destroy them and they succumb to an addiction or whatever in order to escape life. They still have an Indomitable Spirit; they’re just not aware of it! Or there are those who do end up taking their own lives. They still have an Indomitable Spirit, but for whatever reasons, they let people and/or life beat them down so much that they didn’t realize they had that power to overcome. We have to remember that people who commit suicide don’t really want to die; they just want the pain to end. I always say never take away a person’s hope because that may be all they have left.

I sometimes hear people say “If I could do it, then others can do it.” I so disagree with that statement. What I prefer to say is “If I can do it, that means it’s possible for others to do it.” We have to be careful not to judge those who do let life beat them down. We never really do know their state of mind or what they’re really going through. Everyone has a bigger story than we see or know.

There’s a quote by Marianne Williamson that I include in many of my writings and it’s become one of my favorite quotes of all time. It states: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

If you’re going through what I call “heavy-duty-life-do,” please know that you’re not alone. Everyone has something they’re going through, but everyone handles it in different ways. It really is our attitudes, our beliefs about ourselves and our world, and the thoughts we think that make a difference in how we get through life. If you’re going through something, I won’t promise that it will get better because I don’t know your story. But you DO have it in you to make it through. I really believe that if we have the attitude of looking at everything as a lesson to make us a stronger and better person, then when we get to that hindsight part of your life, we will look back and will see that it really did make us a stronger and better person. Don’t let people or life beat you down! Try to keep things in perspective. One thing I do is look at others who have it so much worse than me, and then I realize, I do have it pretty good. I’ve learned to count my blessings. Life really is beautiful and good; it’s just we humans who make it so difficult. Therefore, friends, please hang in there. It’s always possible for things to get better!

You ARE stronger than measure! You ARE meant to shine! YOU have an IndomitableSpirit! Better yet, you ARE an Indomitable Spirit! There’s a song that I’ve been singing over and over and it goes, “Don’t worry about a thing, ‘cuz every little thing’s going to be all right.” (“Three Little Birds” written by Bob Marley.) I know that in the greater scheme of things and no matter what I go through in my life, everything is going to be all right. To all those who are struggling, I love you and honor you, and am holding you in loving consciousness. Blessings to you always.

While perusing Facebook recently, I came across an article about actress Sally Field and how at the beginning of her career her agent told her, “Well that's ridiculous. You can't do that, you can't get into film. You're not pretty enough. You're not good enough.” I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Field when I was pursuing an acting career in Hollywood, and trust me, she’s very beautiful and talented, and she has the awards to prove it!

Reading her story reminded me how I gave up on certain dreams because I was also told that I wasn’t pretty enough, thin enough, or talented enough. Unfortunately, because I was young and didn’t know any better, I took those beliefs and adopted them as my own. Even though I now know better, I still sometimes struggle with those beliefs because they had become so engrained in my brain. Catch me at a vulnerable moment and I find myself repeating those beliefs until my inner Spirit gives me that spiritual smack on the back of the head and says, “Karen! Snap out of it! That’s NOT who you are! You are beautiful, healthy, and talented! Those are NOT your beliefs!” I hear it, but I still don’t always believe it.

How many of us have had someone tell us something so negative and demoralizing about ourselves that we took those beliefs as our own? I think of what so many adults tell their children and they believe it. There have been numerous children who have told me that they’re stupid and no good and you can’t tell them otherwise. Who is telling them these things!?!?

I remember having a group of children repeat positive affirmations such as “I am beautiful! I am smart! I am successful!” and so on. Afterwards, a young girl came up to me and said, “Miss Karen? You know all those things you said we were? I am none of those things!” It broke my heart! I always try to lift people up with inspiring words, especially our children. We need to remember that people who tear others down are speaking more about themselves than the person they’re speaking to.

After I read the article, I went on-line to research those who overcame some serious obstacles and yet became triumphant in spite of what they were told or experienced. I found countless successful people who were told they would never make it, weren’t talented enough, and/or weren’t attractive enough, or they survived horrendous events. Many even had numerous failures. Here are some names you may or may not recognize depending on the generation you were born. I would highly recommend Googling their stories as they are fascinating and inspiring.

There’s a great poem titled “Don’t Quit” by Edgar A. Guest called “Don’t Quit.” It states, “When things go wrong as they sometimes will; When the road you're trudging seems all up hill; When the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile, but you have to sigh; When care is pressing you down a bit; Rest if you must, but don't you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns; And many a failure turns about, When he might have won had he stuck it out; Don't give up though the pace seems slow; You may succeed with another blow; Success is failure turned inside out; The silver tint of the clouds of doubt; And you never can tell how close you are; It may be near when it seems so far; So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit, It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.”

George Bernard Shaw said, “People are always blaming circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get ahead in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.”

And Marianne Williamson stated… “We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.”

So never give up! Keep going in the direction of your dreams! I believe in you!

This week was the one year anniversary when we lost two members of our church from a murder suicide. These two beautiful spirits, for whatever reasons, ended up leaving this earth plane early. To say it was a complete shock to our church community is an understatement. We knew that they were having their challenges and many of us tried to help them, but no one knew the extent of the darkness they were experiencing to have caused them to make that split second decision of no return. A few months before that, we lost another beautiful soul when she took her own life on the side of a country road. Again, we knew she was having her challenges, but no one was aware of how bad it was until we received the news that she had left us in such a tragic way. Suicide is a very hard issue for many to understand. Some people believe that it is a very selfish act and that the person was only thinking of themselves, or that all they had to do was snap out of it. Those are very judgmental beliefs because until we have been in their shoes, we do not have a clue as to the extent of what that person was experiencing. When someone is in that deep dark abyss with no sign of the light at the end of the tunnel, they lose all hope, and it only takes a split second of extreme despair to end it. I always say never take away a person’s hope because that may be all they have left. We need to realize that people who commit suicide don’t really want to die…they just want their pain to end. Many are feeling so depressed and hopeless that they really believe that everyone would be better off without them. So, how can we help those who seem so lost and hopeless? Love them. Be there for them. Listen to them. Help them. Give them hope. Get them professional help if needed. Some people just need to know that someone cares. If all you can do is send a card saying you’re thinking about them, then even that can make a difference. Be very careful of what you say and please don’t say “All you have to do is….” Your words should be kind, compassionate, and loving. There are many stories where someone was contemplating taking their life, but all it took was one person to let them know that someone cared and they changed their mind. I learned that early when I had a college friend confide that before she met me, she was going to kill herself. I didn’t have a clue, and I didn’t do anything except to be her friend. How can we in churches help our members and attendees through their dark periods? Stop judging! Stop criticizing! Stop demonizing! There are many who quit going to church for these very reasons! The sole purpose of those of us in the spiritual communities is to love unconditionally! People in darkness need to feel that their very lives and feelings matter and that they are loved, cherished, and wanted regardless of who they are or what their issues are. When the church community in particular condemns and demonizes people just because of a difference in beliefs, and when some church leaders (and some politicians) actually say that certain people should die and that we’d be better off without them, regardless of the issue, this is extremely unconscionable! If you’re one who is struggling and having a hard time hanging on, I wish I had the magic words to help you hang in there and to let you know that you are loved, appreciated, and valued JUST AS YOU ARE! This will pass, and once you get through it, you’ll be a stronger and better person because of what you experienced and then you can be there to help others because you understand! You can be a great success because you did go through the darkness! I leave you with the great lyrics from the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone:” “When you walk through the storm, Hold your head up high, And don't be afraid of the dark, At the end of the storm is a golden sky, And the sweet silver song of the lark. Walk on, through the wind, Walk on, through the rain, Though your dreams be tossed and blown, Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart, And you'll never walk alone…You'll never walk alone.”Published in the Cookeville Herald Citizen newspaper, March 6, 2015.

Looking out my window during Winter Storm Octavia, I was tickled to see our neighbors sledding down the slight hills of their yard, screaming in delight, and then doing it over and over again. The temps were freezing with a wind chill of way below zero, but they didn’t mind. They were enjoying this rare snow storm! The snow was beautiful as it flowed softly to the ground casting a wonderment of white across the land. Many people were excited to see the snow and all the fun it brought with it. But for many, it was very stressful as people tried to get to work and then had to deal with all the damage the storm caused. Yes, there was a lot of devastation, but many Tennesseans pulled together and got out to help one another. It didn’t matter what a person looked like, who they were, what religion, or whatever. It was human beings helping human beings. And friends, that’s what it’s all about…our being there to help each other. Why does it take a tragedy to bring people together on a greater scale? During and after 9/11, people from all over the world banded together to help those affected by this horrendous disaster. The same with Katrina. And not just events that occur in our country, but when things happen in other countries, people everywhere unselfishly go out of their way to assist anyone who is in need. But then things settle down, people get back into their daily routines, and we forget. We stop going out of our way to help others. Not everyone…but many. There was still a lot to be done after 9/11, Katrina, and other disasters, but when the media stops reporting, people think nothing else needs to be accomplished. What’s worse is that some religionists come out of the woodwork and claim that God made these things happen to punish people, and it’s usually in accord with that person’s beliefs and God is punishing whomever that particular person disagrees with. S/he uses God to back up their personal judgmental and hateful agendas and that’s very sad. God does not cause bad things to happen to anyone! What kind of loving God would do such a thing? Not the God that I believe in! According to many beliefs, God made people to have free will. That means we make the choices as to whether or not we are going to help or harm. People blame God for so many things in this world, but we as human beings have the power and the ability to make changes for the better! There is no reason for anyone in the world to go hungry, but do we feed them? There is no reason for anyone to go without healthcare, but do we cover them? There is no reason for people to be homeless, but do we house them? Some are trying! It’s interesting to hear some complain that they don’t want government in their business, but when it comes to caring for others, they’ll say that it’s the government’s problem. Sometimes I think that these tragic events happen to remind us that we really are a part of each other...that what affects one affects all. All the great spiritual teachers throughout time have taught us to take care of one another. Jesus even said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” So why can’t we do this consistently? Many do! There are many people and organizations that do get it and are out there living the Golden Rule! The Golden Rule in some form is in most, if not all, Holy Books and writings! I so wish we could stop all this hate/bigotry nonsense and know that we are all the same. We’re all children of God, the Universe, the Cosmos. We were all made equally; it is only man that makes us different based solely on our beliefs. In the book “The Afterlife of Billy Fingers, Billy says, “If people could see each other’s souls, all war would end, and everyone would go feed the hungry children.” If we could really see each other’s souls, we would see a reflection of ourselves, and we would really know the true meaning of loving and caring for one another. And the Dalai Lama said, “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.”Thank you to all who have been out there helping others during this crisis whether you are a professional or neighbor helping neighbor! We love you and appreciate you!Published in the Cookeville Herald Citizen Newspaper February 27, 2015.

I am a Chaplain at my church and each Sunday one of our Chaplains has the pleasure of being able to share what’s on our hearts for a few minutes, and each of us brings something special and meaningful to the service.

Recently, my topic was about how we need to honor and embrace the dark times that we may go through. It’s so important that we love ourselves through those dark periods just as much as we do through the good times. All of a sudden, tears started flowing freely down my cheeks as I spoke about how important it is to love not only others, but to love ourselves…unconditionally.

There are so many people going through the darkest of times in their personal lives. It could be because of an illness, financial or relationship issues, grieving over the loss of loved ones, a catastrophic event, or anything else that may happen to us. My heart became overflowing with love and empathy for those who are struggling just to get through each day.

I also thought of those who have to deal with hate and bigotry just because of their color, race, religion, sexual preference, or whatever. I read and hear stories of violence being committed towards others because of this and I could only think what are we coming to as a species that some have become so hateful?

We claim to be a Christian nation, and we claim that God is Love, but we sure aren’t seeing it much especially from so many pulpits or from many politicians. To some, in fact, Christianity as a whole is now being seen as a very hateful religion! When you hear some Christians speak, are they speaking of loving our fellow man? Or are they tearing people down and encouraging us to hurt others just because of our differences?

So many young gays and transgendered people (as well as young children!) are committing suicide because they have been so demonized, and some Christians and others celebrate their death! We also have news programs and radio hosts who propagate hate and bigotry and even encourage people to hurt others just because of a difference in beliefs, and they do so in the name of God and Christianity! This is NOT what Jesus or any other spiritual leader throughout time has taught!

There are those who are also trying to make Christianity the law of the land, but if any other religion tried to do this, it would cause an outrage! How about if we made Love the law of the land instead? Can you imagine?

I want to make it very clear that I am definitely not criticizing Christianity as a whole. There are many, many wonderful sincere Christians out there who do practice the teachings of Jesus which was unconditional love for all and caring for our brothers and sisters on this beautiful planet of ours. They want to live in peace and harmony with all people and they take very seriously the instructions of the Bible to love and not to judge. We just don’t hear too much from this side and it’s not their fault. Hate in the media sells. All religions have good and bad in them.

I am so grateful that I have friends who are gay, transgendered, Muslim, Hispanic, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, black, white, brown, and from all colors, races, and religions! I love the diversity of my friends and the many people I have had the absolute pleasure of meeting and getting to know! They’ve taught me so much! One of the biggest things they taught me was to not hold the actions of a few against the whole. If I had, I would have missed out on some of the most amazing relationships!

If our religions are not teaching love for all people, then what is the purpose of them? So many religions have gotten so far away from the teachings of their spiritual masters that they’ve pretty much become man-made religions. We need to get back to the teachings of these masters which was love, compassion, kindness, peace, and harmony for all regardless of any perceived differences!

There’s a great quote that says, “Buddha was not a Buddhist. Jesus was not a Christian. Muhammad was not a Muslim. They were teachers who taught love. Love was their religion.” This is so true. They all taught love and to harm no one.

We all search for God mostly through our religions, but Gandhi stated, “If you don’t find God in the next person you meet, don’t waste time looking for him further.”

Unconditional love really is the answer and I can’t say it enough. Namaste!

Published in the Cookeville Herald Citizen newspaper February 20, 2015.

“That thing isn’t even human!!” Those are the words I heard come out of my mouth upon seeing my first transsexual person, and it bothers me to this day that I said them. A friend had taken me to a dance and standing in the center of the room was a very tall person. My friend told me about her and what that meant. I was so appalled and horror-stricken, we decided to leave and go elsewhere. Not long after the above incident, I had gone into a Christian bookstore. I was the only customer so the clerk and I struck up a conversation in which he began to tell me about his current situation. He proceeded to tell me that he had been a man, became a woman, and was in the process of becoming a man again. Just then two others came into the store. We began talking and the man began to tell me about the woman he was with. She had been a man, went through the process of becoming a woman, and was going to become a man again. Because of a change in religious beliefs, these two people were told they were no longer acceptable as they were, so they had to change back to the way they were before. Before I could leave, someone suggested that we hold hands in a circle and pray. Next thing I knew I was standing there and on each side of me I was holding hands with one of these “freaks.” Then something happened. While someone was praying, I heard the words in my mind very clearly, just as if someone was standing there speaking them aloud, “Karen, these are my children, and I love them just as much as any of my children.” Did I really just hear those words? No one in the circle spoke them. Therefore I knew that Spirit was gently giving me a wonderful message. I may not have had an instant turnaround in my thinking or beliefs, but a seed was planted that would continue to grow and manifest until they took hold years later. I learned that we are all children of God and that we are all loved equally. Since then, I’ve met and gotten to know so many wonderful people who happen to be gay and I love them dearly. They are some of the nicest, kindest, most accepting people I know. It pains me to see the discrimination, even hate, which they have to deal with in our society, much of it being propagated by some religions and politicians. Jesus made it very clear that we are to love one another regardless of color, race, religion, politics, sexual preference, gender, and so on. Being straight, I don’t understand what makes someone gay. But I also don’t understand what makes people fall in love, the miracle of childbirth, or any other wonderful mysteries life bestows upon us. I am not going to get into any Biblical or political arguments over people’s beliefs about this. The point I’m trying to make is that these are human beings. They laugh, cry, hurt, and feel joy. They're kind, compassionate, and they love deeply. They care about others and will help them when and where they can. They're humanitarians, philanthropists, and they care about what happens to our world. They live in all corners of the earth, from all professions, races, cultures, and religions. They love their family, friends, and pets, and they grieve when they lose them. You don’t have to agree with the lifestyle. That’s your choice. But they don’t deserve to be hated and treated horribly just because of perceived differences. History has shown us that since the beginning of humankind, discrimination, hatred, bigotry, and ignorance have been perpetuated against various cultures and groups of people. But history has also taught us that the human spirit is strong and we will prevail until all are loved and accepted equally. American Indians, Jews, Japanese, gays, Muslims, Hispanics, woman, and so on have been discriminated against and/or oppressed at one time or another, or continue to be to this day. What history is also teaching us, though, is that oppressing any person or any group of people is not our natural state of being. People are starting to ‘get it.’ We really are one and it really is all about unconditional love for all beings. It’s time to stop the hating towards anyone. Nelson Mandela said it best when he stated, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

“There comes a time when we heed a certain call; When the world must come together as one; There are people dying; And it's time to lend a hand to life; The greatest gift of all. We can't go on pretending day by day; That someone, somewhere will soon make a change; We all are a part of God's great big family; And the truth, you know, Love is all we need. We are the world, we are the children; We are the ones who make a brighter day; So let's start giving; There's a choice we're making; We're saving our own lives; It's true we'll make a better day; Just you and me. Send them your heart so they'll know that someone cares; And their lives will be stronger and free; As God has shown us by turning stone to bread; So we all must lend a helping hand. When you're down and out, there seems no hope at all; But if you just believe there's no way we can fall; Well...well...well; Let's realize that a change can only come; When we stand together as one.” The above are lyrics to “We Are the World (USA for Africa)” which were written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, and sung by over 45 well-known musicians. The proceeds were used to feed starving people in Africa. But the song could be used just as much today because the words speak to the hearts of so many There is so much going on in the world right now. So much violence, hate, bigotry, and fighting. If you watch, read, or listen to any of the medias, you will hear mostly all negative news. It is very rare that the media will communicate any of the good that is occurring, and my friends, there is so much good occurring all over the world! It’s hard not to wonder what on earth is going on with people now-a-days. The hate and vitriol that is being spewed forth from religious leaders, politicians, and others is just mind-boggling! But what you’re not hearing is that there are people all over the world who are coming together in harmony to help each other and to be of service to humanity. People are awakening! We know that we are brothers and sisters on this great planet of ours! We look for what we have in common rather than focusing on any perceived differences. We know that when people work to destroy others, we’re only destroying ourselves. But when we work together in love, peace, and harmony, we build a strong foundation where we can lift each other up. There are many protests happening all over our country and in the world, and it’s the violent, horrifying ones that are making the news. Not too long ago, there was a protest in Turkey that made world history though you probably didn’t hear about it. One man began his protest by just standing. Standing for hours; not moving. Others began to join him. Soon it became a movement in various parts of the world where people would protest by just standing. No violence. By peaceful protesting, they made an impact like no other. Back in 1986, there was an event I participated in called “Hands Across America.” Almost seven million people held hands in a human chain that crossed the continental United States from New York to California. Celebrities, politicians, people from all races, religions, cultures, and genders came together for the greater good. Money raised was donated to help fight hunger and homelessness. The feeling of knowing we were a part of something so great and wonderful was very exciting! And no one was harmed! There are many of us in the world who are the peacekeepers, the light workers, those who know that if we are to move forward, we have got to come together as one. We need to start standing up for what’s right, good, loving, and kind, and do so with compassion in our hearts. The challenge is that we’re not the complainers, nor do we attack others in public, so our message is not being heard like those who only know hatred. But we can make a difference. One person and one cause at a time. The Dalai Lama said, “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” Desmond Tutu stated, “God's dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness, and for compassion.” And Ram Dass declared, “As we grow in our consciousness, there will be more compassion and more love, and then the barriers between people, between religions, between nations will begin to fall. Yes, we have to beat down the separateness.” Published in the Cookeville Herald Citizen newspaper July 18, 2014.

“Ubuntu [is] the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can’t exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can’t be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality – Ubuntu – you are known for your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity. A person with Ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed. If the world had more Ubuntu, we would not have war. We would not have this huge gap between the rich and the poor. You are rich so that you can make up what is lacking for others. You are powerful so that you can help the weak, just as a mother or father helps their children. When you have Ubuntu, you embrace others. You are generous, compassionate.” (Desmond Tutu)What a beautiful philosophy! Ubuntu (oo-buun-too) is a belief system out of Africa and is described as the capacity to express compassion, dignity, harmony, and humanity in the interests of building and maintaining community with justice and mutual caring. It is consciousness of our natural desire to affirm our fellow human beings and to work and act towards each other with the mutual good for all. Archbishop Tutu also said of Ubuntu, “I am, because you are; how I behave impacts not only on me, but also others around me because we all belong together.”

There is an African phrase, “Sawa Bona,” which means “I see you.” In response, the other person replies, “Sikhona,” which means “I am here.” Other religions also say something similar. “Namaste” basically means, “I see the divinity in you which is in me.” Even the movie Avatar used the phrase “I see you” to acknowledge our connectedness. I love this philosophy in that it brings people together. It sees the good in each other and works together for the good of all. In society, people tend to look for the bad first, and if someone doesn’t measure up to our standards, or if they don’t believe the way we do, we don’t want anything to do with them. We demonize, oppress, and separate ourselves from them. This is one thing that saddens me about some extreme factions of Christianity and other extremists in religions. There is too much hate and bigotry. There is no Ubuntu. Jesus taught love, compassion, and kindness, and he worked to bring people together, as did the many other great spiritual masters throughout time. He saw the good in people and he taught them to see the best in themselves. He excluded no one. His love was unconditional for all of humanity. There is a great story I saw recently on Facebook about an African tribe and a ceremony they perform when someone strays from being the good person they were meant to be. “When someone does something harmful and wrong, they take the person to the center of the village, and the whole tribe comes and surrounds him. For two days, they will say to the man all the good things that he's done. The tribe believes that each human being comes into the world as good; each one of us desiring safety, love, peace, and happiness. But sometimes, in the pursuit of these things, people make mistakes. The community sees those mistakes as a cry for help. They unite to lift him, to reconnect it with his true nature, to remind him who he really is, until he remembers fully the truth of which he had been temporarily disconnected…‘I'm good.’” There’s another beautiful story about an anthologist who put a basket of fruit near a tree and told the children of the African tribe that the first one to reach the fruit would win all the fruit. When he told them to run, they took each other’s hands, ran together, then sat together enjoying the fruits. When he asked why they ran like that and that one child could have taken all the fruit for himself, they said, “Ubuntu, how can one of us be happy if all the others are sad?” Regardless of our religious beliefs, I think we could all learn from Ubuntu. If everyone practiced Ubuntu, just think of how we could change the world! Sawa Bona! Published in the Cookeville Herald Citizen newspaper May 9, 2014.

Thanksgiving is behind us and we are now heading into the homestretch to celebrate Christmas. A wonderful holiday of joy and good tidings!

December is also a month where other religions celebrate their holidays also. Buddhists celebrate Bodhi Day, which honors Gautama’s attainment of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgava, India. Jewish people celebrate Hanukkah, which is also called the Festival of Lights and is observed for eight nights and days. Kwanzaa is a celebration that honors African heritage. And then, of course, we have Christmas which is celebrated by both Christians and non-Christians, though Christians celebrate it as the birthday of Jesus. I’m sure there are many more, but these are just a few that I am aware of.

Along with the holidays, we participate in festivities that include a lot of food and gift giving. We also decorate trees, rooms, houses, lawns, and sometimes we decorate ourselves. The season is very colorful and beautiful. I love it that people get together to share the holidays with each other and we seem to care a little more for our fellow beings. People are a little kinder to each other, and charities see a huge boost in their donations. We fix meals for the hungry, and give toys, food, and other items to children and families who wouldn’t normally be able to celebrate.

I love the spirit of the season! But I have to be honest. I’m not so sure about the rest of it anymore. It seems that the holidays have become more about consumerism than the spirit. People don’t think they can have a Christmas (or other holiday) if they don’t receive presents. Many people will spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars during the holiday season on gifts for others, as well as on decorations, cards, stamps, food, and the list goes on and the money adds up. Many people go into debt just to celebrate in the way they are accustomed to.

Then add the stress that accompanies all the above! This doesn’t even include deciding which relatives to spend what holidays with, travel arrangements, being stuck in airports, families not getting along, or someone being upset because they didn’t get what they wanted. And I haven’t even mentioned Black Friday and other big sale days yet. People will literally fight to get the item on sale, and some people have been seriously hurt or even killed because of it.

How many of us could give all of this up, stop all the fanfare, and still be able to celebrate without feeling we’re missing something? Could we do it? Probably not too many could, especially if they have children. Santa Claus has pretty much become the main symbol for Christmas nowadays.

There are people and children all over the world who don’t have anything, let alone get to celebrate a holiday the way we do, so we get them presents and ship them for the holidays, but what about the rest of the year? They still need shoes, clothing, and food all the other months, too!

And, of course, there is the arguing over what holiday greeting we should say and some people can get quite nasty over it. Personally, I’m secure enough in my faith that it doesn’t bother me one bit what greeting someone uses. If someone says Merry Christmas, I’ll say Merry Christmas in return; or Happy Holidays/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/ Bodhi Day or whatever. I’ll happily return their greeting with the same. I’m just happy someone said anything to me at all! Normally when I say hello to someone, I’m doing good to get a hello in return.

To me, the spirit of the holidays means to spread love, peace, and joy to everyone regardless of what holiday they are celebrating. I honor everyone’s beliefs and whatever holiday they embrace. I love the diversity! There is something to be learned from all of them, and I’m blessed to have friends from all faiths who have shared their celebrations with me.

So, this year, let’s remember to be the examples of our Spiritual Masters and spread the love and joy of the season! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Happy Bodhi Day! Happy (add your holiday)! Wishing everyone of all faiths a beautiful and wonderful holiday season and the best of new years!

Published in the Cookeville Herald Citizen newspaper November 6, 2013.